Charge-heating control for internal-combustion engines



March 4, 1930. J. R. FRANCIS CHARGE HEATI NG CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Sept. 21. 1922 El/brown;

Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITED I STATES JACOB RICHARD FRANCIS, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN CHARGE-HEATING- CONTROL FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed September 21, 1922. Serial No. 589,552.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a charge heating control for internal combustion engines and more particularly to a baflie valve for baffling the exhaust gases passing out through the exhaust pipe, the object being to provide an automatic valve which will automatically regulate the passage of the exhaust gases to the heating chamber.

I Another object of my invention is to provide a valve which is capable of being attached to any of the well known forms of exhausts used in connection with internal combustion engines and in connection with any of the well known heating means employed for heating the charge before it is delivered to the internal combustion engine whereby the exhaust gases will be bafiled so that they will be diverted to the heating chamher when the engine is running at slow intermediate speed, the valve being so weighted 'that when the engine is running at high speed the pressure will be suificient to open the valve in order to allow the gases a free 5 passage therethrough.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve which is adapted to be constructed to suit the engine to which it is attached whereby the maximum pressure of any of the well known makes of engine will open the valve and allow the gases to pass therethrough and when said engine is idle or running at intermediate speed, the pressure-will not be suflicient to open the valve thereby i causing the exhaust gases to be conveyed through the heating chamber.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claim.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation or portion ofan internal combustion engine showing the application of my improved construction of automatic valve thereto; and

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the valve showing the valve in its normal or closed position.

In Figure 1 of the drawing 1 indicates an internal combustion engine, 2 the exhaust manifold, 3 the intake manifold, 4 the carbureter and 5 a heating jacket surrounding the intake manifold above the carbureter, the above description being given so that the operation of my improved construction of automatic heat regulating valve can be readily understood.

The exhaust manifold is provided with the usual exhaust pipe 6 which extends to the muflier in the usual way.

In carrying out my invention I cut the exhaust pipe and arrange between the ends thereof a valve casing 7 having an inlet 8 and an outlet 9 to which the free ends of the exhaust pipe 6 are adapted to be connected in any of the well known manners as clearly 1 shown. The valve casing 7 is provided with a bearing 10 in which the rounded'pivot portion 11 of a weighted swinging valve 12 is pivotally mounted. The valve is adapted to normally assume the position as shown in Figure 2 so as to close the passage through the valve casing. The valve casing is provided with a removable cover 13 which is secured in position by bolts as clearly shown so as to facilitate the inserting of the valve and the removal of the same. The opposite side of the valve casing 7 is provided with an outlet nipple 14 to which is connected a flexible pipe 15 which extends to the inlet of the heating chamber 5. The heating chamber is provided with an outlet having a flexible pipe 16 extending to an inlet nipple 18 in the valve casing 7 below the valve whereby the exhaust gases under normal conditions will pass out through the outlet 14 through the pipe 15 into the heating chamber 5, from the heating chamber through the pipe 16 into the valve casing 7 through the nipple 18 and out through the exhaust pipe in the ordinary manner. While I have shown the particular construction of heating chamber with an inlet and outlet and a valve casing with an inlet and outlet nipple for connecting the flexible pipes thereto, I do not wish to limit myself to the use of any particular construction of heatin chamber or the use of the return conduit or the gases to the valve as I am fully aware that in some heating devices the exhaust gases after passing through the heating chamber are discharged into the atmosphere and my construction of automatic valve of course, does not depend upon returning the gases to the exhaust line as the object of my invention is to provide a swinging weighted valve which will baflie the exhaust gases discharged from the internal combustion engine when running at an intermediate speed to enable the gases to be forced through the outlet into the heating chamber.

I have found by experimenting with a Buick car for instance that when running at high speed the muflier exerts a back pressure of substantially eight pounds and by constructing the swinging weighted valve of such weight that the valve will remain closed until eight pounds pressure is exerted by the motor, the exhaust gases will be prevented from passing through the ordinary exhaust pipe line and diverted to the heating chamber so as to quickly heat the incoming charge delivered from the carbureter before it reaches the internal combustion engine.

While I have shown the particular constructionof valve it is, of course, understood that I do not wish to limit myself to any particular construction of valve or valve casing as my invention consists broadly in providing the exhaust line ofan internal combustion engine with a valve which bafiies the outgoing gases of the internal combustion engine at intermediate speeds and opens at high speed so as to allow the gases to pass I bafiied in the exhaust gas line until the en-- gine reaches a high speed where the weight of the bathing valve is overcome by the pressure of the engine and allows the gases to pass in a normal exhaust pipe.

What I claim is A valve of the kind described comprising a valve casing having inlet and outlets out of vertical alignment to form an elbowshaped casing, said valve casing being provided with a cylindrical horizontally disposed bearing at the junction of the passages, a valve having a cylindrical pivot at one edge detachably mounted in said bearing and adapted to be normally held in vertical position by gravity, said valve pivot being slidably mounted within said bearing and a removable cover for said valve casing for holdpath of travel through the ing said pivot within said bearing and to allow said valve to be removed therefrom.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JACOB RICHARD FRANCIS. 

